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Saturday, July 26, 2014

Messi scores in first match since Brazil

PORTO, Portugal — World Cup Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi played for Barcelona for the first time yesterday since the tournament in Brazil and scored a goal in a tribute match for former player Deco against Porto.

The forward was part of the Barcelona 2006 team, winner of the Champions League of that year, and netted the last goal for Barça with a header. The friendly finished 4-4.

Messi, who has to return to the club on August 4, played his first match since reaching the World Cup final with Argentina.

SUÁREZ APPEAL. The Court of Arbitration for Sport could rule on Luis Suárez’s appeal against his biting ban before the Spanish league season starts next month.

CAS said yesterday that Suárez, the Uruguay soccer federation and Barcelona have filed a request for a fast-track appeal against FIFA’s ban for nine competitive international matches and four months from all soccer.

“It is likely that a final award will be rendered well before the end of August,” the court said in a statement.

The Spanish league season begins the weekend of August 23-24, when Barcelona hosts Elche.

PEKERMAN ON HOLIDAYS. Colombia national team coach José Pekerman requested some holidays to “attend some personal issues” yesterday and could extend his contract after the good performance shown in the World Cup. The Colombian Football Federation announced that the officials and the coach will meet in August, when Pekerman returns from his vacations.

BASANTA TO ITALY. Fiorentina has announced a deal with Mexican club Monterrey to acquire Argentina international José Basanta on a full transfer.

Fiorentina says the deal still requires the defender to pass a medical and sign a contract. While the club did not release financial details, the transfer price has been reported as US$4.7 million.

Also, Argentine winger Roberto Pereyra has joined Italian champion Juventus in a US$2 million loan from Udinese.

COPA ARGENTINA. Argentinos Juniors, without Juan Román Riquelme, advanced to the last 16 round of the Copa Argentina yesterday after beating Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata in a penalty shootout.

Argentinos, which had Cris-tian Ledesma on the field, won 4-2 on penalties with goalkeeper Adrián Gabbarini saving two of them. The match finished 0-0.